EU Politics

26.10.2011 EU Politics

Now we have proof: Richard Howitt is the most manically active MEP

When he’s not getting turfed out of Dale Farm, Labour MEP Richard Howitt seems to also be the most active of Labour’s MEPs in the European Parliament, at least thanks to one measure discovered using open data from Ron Patz. The

26.10.2011 EU Politics

Today’s European Parliament budget move: a welcome alternative to austerity, or pissing in the wind?

The EU institutions are in the middle of their annual budget ping-pong. The European Commission proposes the annual budget, and then the European Parliament and Council of the European Union (where Member States are represented) decide on the budget. The

25.10.2011 EU Politics / UK Politics

We need to stop being cheerleaders for the status quo

One of the responses to the Tory rebellion yesterday on the EU referendum vote has – rather predictably – been a call for ‘pro-Europeans’ to be more assertive. Clegg has said Britain should lead and not leave the EU, and

23.10.2011 EU Politics / UK Politics

The speech we won’t hear tomorrow: honest yet opposing a referendum

This is a mythical speech that could be delivered tomorrow in the House of Commons by a MP opposing the resolution for a referendum. In my view it’s both realistic and honest, and hence there’s not a hope in hell

23.10.2011 EU Politics / UK Politics

On direct democracy

There are some things party politics and representative democracy struggle to solve – those few issues that divide parties, that cross left-right divides. Britain’s relationship with the European Union is one such issue and, as a result, prompts calls from

21.10.2011 EU Politics / UK Politics

This hasty referendum debate is no way to settle a vital constitutional question (whichever side you’re on)

Britain’s relationship with the EU is absolutely vital to the economic and political future of the country, and even to the political and economic future of the EU. The structure of British democracy, the way the country is governed, is

18.10.2011 EU Politics

Malcolm Harbour’s delightful contradictions (but he’s not the only one)

Tory MEP Malcolm Harbour was on the second panel at the European Transport Forum, talking in broad terms about how the Single Market in transport is not yet complete. Nice soundbite, right? But what would completion of the Single Market

18.10.2011 EU Politics

If you want to ship some truck parts from Umeå to Gent… 3 changes of locomotive and 30km/h

I’m at European Transport Forum in Brussels, live blogging and live tweeting the event (tag: #ETF2011). I’m here at Cristina Riesen‘s initiative, and fellow bloggers Eurocentrique and Christian Wolmar are covering the event too.

12.10.2011 EU Politics / UK Politics

Tories seem to have found someone even more barking than Roger Helmer

Today’s good news: Roger Helmer is standing down as a Member of the European Parliament. He says its because he disagrees with nine-tenths of Tory policy, and his statements have become more and more shrill and reactionary over the years.

12.10.2011 EU Politics

LabourList | Introducing the new Tory MEP

“Today’s good news: Roger Helmer is standing down as a Member of the European Parliament. He says its because he disagrees with nine-tenths of Tory policy, and his statements have become more and more shrill and reactionary over the years.

12.10.2011 EU Politics

Wifi in the EU quarter, Brussels

There’s been a bit of discussion on Twitter this morning with @megankenna and @thefashioncloud at the prohibitively high cost of Wifi in and around the EU quarter in Brussels. Many conferences are organised in hotels and the cost for wifi